SoulinEther

The source is , right? It's pretty awesome.Alright. This remix. In one word, I'd say it's conservative. In two words, I'd say it's conservative, while also being pretty sweet. Your version sounds a bit like a cover, and musically I don't think it goes much farther than the original does, so I think its shortness is not in your favor here. Say something more with this song. Add a solo, mutate the melody, add your own stuff, change progression, or something else that is completely original and innovative that knocks off socks. It's your remix, so... make it yours! Unless your aiming for a cover, in which case, this would be not bad. Just check out production issues. Production-wise, it's pretty good. Bass was weak - it wasn't bad, but you should probably replace it with something more substantial and meaty, or maybe layer it with another bass for a richer sound (and you can probably find something free that'll foot the bill, too) More bass-y you could say!... Guitar was great. Drums were ok, I didn't do a really serious head-to-head comparison but they seemed to be doing mostly the same thing as the source. If not, cool. In short, I don't think this is ready to submit to OCR. If you're feeling burnt out on it, maybe put it down for a bit and come back to it, or if you're the type that must get it all done in one sitting, then, I'm not sure lol.

What? The 90s are hell in xpac, the late 80s on are nearly impossible in classic. I quit playing (for the fifth time) like a week before they announced the new patch... and I really don't want to come back. Therefore, if you ever see a *soulinether in a game, hostile, kill and hurl obscenities at me.

I really didn't see this coming... this is the opposite of how I voted! So.. thanks. But! I thought we all came up with excellent work. The voting indicated that - the three submissions are within 1 vote of each other, and it didn't help that there only three submissions... the only cure: more authors need to be writing and more votes should be cast. my current goal: critique, and make a new sig to spread the word about this competition (with great timing, too... this April OCR month sig will expire when the next contest should start).

Is your goal to create OCR-standard remixes? Or are you aiming for a cover? Right now, what you have sounds more like a cover, and the second version strikes me more as a medley of sorts. How did you create these? Did you use a DAW or like a keyboard? If you used a keyboard (which, because of the sound quality of the instruments, i'm inclined to thinking is the case), I can't give you very constructive critiques on sound quality beyond... use a DAW. You get so much better control over... everything. As far as the arrangement goes, from what I remember this theme to be, it seems mostly vacant. Like I said, it sounds like a cover, which can be fine if that's your goal. But OCR doesn't do covers...

Do they have to make sense?

I didn't notice, because I couldn't access the files, lol.

Next competition should start May 1st, I imagine. Poetry.

Automation! it's the awesomest thing since sliced bread. Reaper has pretty good automation support; you can access it from that little "trm" button next to "fx" on any track. If you change Trim/Read to "Write", and click "Arm none", and then manually "arm" a Track envelope or any variable in your instrument, as you play through your piece, you can adjust that variable using the GUI and it will record your adjustments to those settings. You can use this to adjust the volume, panning, etc of your track, or specific parameters of your instrument, like a synth attack/delay, or even effects like reverb, etc. Just make sure that when you're done making the modifications, you set the track back to Touch/Read or just Read, otherwise it'll keep changing the settings. Google Automation in Reaper; that's how i learned about it edit: you can also manually mess with automation by clicking on the checkbox left of the envelope's name. It should show up in the track display on the right, and you can add nodes and adjust levels... seriously, I can't teach you all this stuff it's too complicated for me to explain... so google! lol. Uhh... actually, this isn't bad: http://www.ocremix.org/info/Zircon's_ReMixing_Tips_Compendium/Part_3:_Synthesizer_Basics#Modulation_Envelope

I was about to thank you for that too, but I didn't want to look like an asshole and call you one. (rofl)

I think you have a decent concept but you've got lots of repetition, and in a medley.. it gets boring; when I hear the first theme, and then i hear it repeat, I am basically waiting for the next theme to come around and hear how that sounds because I've already grown a little tired of the first theme. Variations upon the themes would help, and finding a way to make one theme blend into the other more smoothly would be best, unless you're intentionally going for a volta. Maybe some original writing here and there to make this less like you're sticking songs back to back. As far as sound quality goes, I think it's pretty ok. Others might give you crits here on how to improve but I'm too much of a noob to help you there lol.

Actually this probably explains why I am not very keen on the "there's nothing" in the key change/last chorus. I was thinking of suggesting it but i didn't want to come off as offensive if you weren't using it...

Well, still, there was some inherent leniency in those lockdown periods. The bar has been raised higher and higher since then. Right now I would just say your biggest issue is production. You need to work on a better sounding... sound. Hang on, I'll listen to your newer works. edit: I'd say you're capable of producing a better sound. Pay attention to the stereo field though; it seems some of your works seem to be pretty centered.

He did, see the first post.

I somewhat recognized the source. It's been a while since I've played any pokemon (this was from Gold/Silver, right? the last games I've owned). I really don't want to start critiquing though without the source (i'm so lazy lol), and because Gario really did a good job at addressing issues I'd probably kind of bring up (though, lol, parallel fifths probably wouldn't be part of my discussion ) But I use Reaper too so ..... yes, velocity is adjustable in Reaper, when you're in the piano roll editor, beneath the piano roll is that little area that is by default set to adjust velocities. You can just slide those little black bars up and down. And I'm not sure if it's comparatively good, but Reaper does have its own equalizer, along with its own multiband compressor (ReaEQ and ReaXcomp under the Cockos section of FXs). And regarding your drums. What sample are you using? I'm not sure of the links anymore, but there is an awesome assortment of good-sounding drums available in the (free, or at least it was) Kore Player, and there's even a free expansion to that player that is free too. They both have a great assortment of samples and synths, considering their cost. And Harmony posted his own free SFZ drum sample pack that sounds very good too. Just explore your options. Your drums might sound better when you've worked on mixing and mastering your piece a bit more. (and actually your kit sounds very similar to what willrock uses in his mixes. hmm.)

Why thank you. Now I just need to vote lol.

It's my birthday, cut me some slack eh?

I don't think that something wicked has this way come yet. Though that wickedness might just be a /lock lol.

Like I said, I really can't say that I have. But I know Muslims who haven't lied who have been hired at corporations, if that helps.

Well, buddy, I've never applied for a job, since I'm still in college, receiving grants, loans and scholarships to get my ass through it. I didn't have to lie to get into public or private universities. But I'm comparing apples to oranges. So.. what credibility do I have? That's a good question. You should have thought about asking for it 9 pages ago.

Your version has a lot of energy (probably because of the drum sequence). But some of your drummage strikes me as weird. I think those are toms - they seem just randomly placed in here and there, but without particular meaning. I also think the drums are rather loud with respect to the rest of the instruments. They're too exposed. Could have transitioned better into :48-1:02. I think those are toms here too, they just seem so out of place. Try something else other than the toms. Or maybe make them softer. They just strike suddenly out of nowhere pretty loudly. The inclusion of that short fake guitar solo is awesome. Really added something and satisfied my need for something new. And carrying over the guitar through till the end of the mix worked. Still, your mix needs more changes to the source throughout. And I think you have a great opportunity to do so in the introduction, or, perhaps, you should reprise the introduction in a modified way at some point, probably after the solo, and build on some new take on the source and try to resolve this puppy (or whatever term of endearment you use to describe this work ). I don't really like the resolution of this piece. It seems somewhat haphazard and I think it could be due to the fact that you're mostly just alternating between two chords (i'm still working on hearing and understanding chord progressions so I might be off.) Overall I want this piece to be longer! And, maybe, the chords to go somewhere too lol.

It does impact how people perceive your definition of "work harassment"... which isn't really what we're talking about anyway. We're talking about the idea of researching employers as a form of stalking. You should have some experience in being a candidate for a job before getting into such a discussion, etc. etc. obviously this is getting into argumentation esoterica which bores me. As a non-terrorist Arab AND Muslim, I say we all just shut the hell up and argue about something more worthwhile. I think, musically, Jenova Returns is a lot more satisfying than JENOVA Celestial. I love trance, and bLiNd's work, like all of his remixes he's had accepted, is quality trance, but the amount of additions and emotions Andrews adds to the original works through various permutations, etc. in his orchestral remix makes it a more satisfying piece off the dance floor. My credibility? ...I listen to music? Lol.

If you're arguing about patient care, medicine, etc., yes. If you were a lawyer, you would have lots of credibility, and your arguments would be more believable. None of us (I doubt) are lawyers, though, so ... other forms of experience have to define our credibility. Ok. Here's a quick analysis: Mythrill states his case, which defines doing research on potential employers as stalking. BGC replies to this argument, (I'm trying to academicize this conversation) "Your views seem to be quite dissenting. Why should I accept your opinion - what makes you qualified to make such a statement?" (asking about your age and employment status in a discussion about the realities of employment -> credibility issue) Mythrill responds, "I don't have to tell you." (you had two potentially good responses: ONE, you could have asked bgc for his qualifications, which he could probably defend, leading to TWO, simply stating your own qualifications. And if you're not willing to admit ANY credentials, you might as well be 4 years old, or living in a different country. I will, however, say that at least being 18+, having ever been employed, having studied law, etc. would HELP your credibility... you didn't help yourself here). BGC replies, "Well, then I don't have to take your argument" + some ad hominem stuff. .... though really, this argument is boring me. It's all about the music, here. Why hasn't there been a new remix posted lately? I bet DJP is too busy writing up a killer argument for this topic instead of working on the remix writeup ... lol

I was in the process of pulling a definition of the ad hominem fallacy out of a textbook... but it's not worth it. Now that I think about it, it doesn't matter what bgc said. You did not, when asked, defend your credibility... so, why should we take your points as valid? To refer to your analogy... if you were to argue that murdering is a pleasant experience, talking about the sensations and feelings associated with it, and someone subsequently asked you, "Are you a murderer? How do you know this information?" and you said, "I'm not going to answer that," and you fail to cite credible sources, you hurt your own argument. I do agree with you.. but ultimately, if nobody ever finds out about it (since finding out information about someone can be done anonymously, and nobody knows for sure what specific information was found out about you), how can you call an employer on it? er wait, lol, I think I'm arguing the wrong side on this issue.

Well, ad homiem arguments are fine if they attack a person's credibility, which bgc just did. He asked what are your credentials, your authority on the subject.. and you refused to answer, which doesn't help your credibility.... but then, there are some elements of personal attack. But I don't care; i'll still take bgc's core argument as stronger. Asking. You said it right there. You can keep that information to yourself in an interview, but if you make that info public, they're not asking it to your face. It's like you take a piece of paper, write your name on it, along with a bunch of facts about yourself, including stuff like age, sexual orientation, religion, etc. and tossed the paper on the floor, and someone else picks it up. Except Myspace/Facebook are a heck of a lot more credible because there's often a face to go with the name and descriptors - and because your myspace/facebook are more likely to be controlled by you.

Are you looking for something like this? I know i'm a douche :/ a;fjwhj;ooi!!! i was beaten to the punch.